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Month: February 2011

February 23, 2011

Sold! US Rights to The Upgrade (Phew)

They say all good things come to he who waits, but I have no idea if that’s true. I’ve never really been a he who waits.

Certainly my experience in finding a US publisher for my forthcoming book suggests there’s some truth in the aphorism. Despite the best efforts of my agent, my publisher and countless well-meaning, well-connected friends, no publisher on this side of the Atlantic took even a slight interest in The Upgrade. Some, I’m sure, thought it was a lousy book, but most simply demurred on the grounds that it was “very British”.

By last month the situation had got so desperate – so ridiculous – that I wrote a column on TechCrunch pleading for someone to build an eBay for foreign book rights; a platform where I could at least give away the rights for free to some backwater US publisher with nothing to lose.

Sadly, as of today, no entrepreneur has heeded my call. But, to be honest, I don’t really care: the column had another slightly ironic – and utterly satisfying – consequence. It finally got me a US deal.

With a great publisher. For actual money.

The break came a few hours after the column was published.…

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February 8, 2011

How I spent my 31st birthday

With all the fuss regarding AOL buying the HuffPo and Arianna Huffington taking over as editor in chief of all content, it’s easy to forget that writing for TechCrunch isn’t actually my real job. My real job is writing books about myself.

I’m right in the middle of that yawning quiet period between filing the manuscript for The Upgrade and the publication date in May. During that time, my publicist has urged me – on pain of promotional death – not to do any personal press. Generally I am happy to be under her thumb: she understands her job way better than I do. But every so often I can’t help myself.

Take, for example, the email I received at the end of last year from a feature writer at Loaded magazine. Yep, Loaded.

Would I be interested in being profiled by them about my life living in hotels. My 30-year-old (at the time) self was unconvinced : “Loaded? I’m a 30 year old author, not a 19 year old glamour model – what business do I have in the pages of Loaded?” My 18-year-old self, however, had already replied to the email. Fuck Yeah.

And so, on the morning of my 31st birthday, I opened the door to my London hotel room and welcomed Loaded’s Sam Rowe, photographer Vincent Dolman, a couple of other Loaded staffers and – oh yes – the very lovely Prudence.

You have found the official blog of Paul Bradley Carr, author of The Upgrade, Bringing Nothing To The Party, and Sober Is My New Drunk.

Previously, Paul was Silicon Valley columnist for the Guardian, editor of Pando, and a variety of things at Techcrunch. He was founder of NSFWCORP and host of the nightly NSFWLIVE radio show.

He has also written for/been fired by a host of prestigious publications including: The Wall St Journal, The Times of London, National Geographic, The Huffington Post, Private Eye, The Daily Telegraph, Food and Wine, BBC Radio, Channel 4 TV (UK).

Paul was born in Dunfermline, Scotland and currently lives in Palm Springs, California. He is on Twitter, but only barely.

Any questions? Contact Paul.

A British-born writer who spent years living out of luxury hotels and soaking his liver in booze.” – THE DAILY BEAST

“A testament to the virtues of debauchery… uproarious and brilliant.” – WIRED

“Utterly endearing. Completely addictive reading.” – PAPERBACK CHOICE, THE PRESS ASSOCIATION ),

“Carr has made a reputation as one of the feistiest writers on the beat. His [public] spats are legendary, as are his bust-ups with former employers including Arianna Huffington and AOL.” – THE GUARDIAN

“The columnist [and] enfant terrible has been summarily sacked from practically every outfit he’s worked for, including companies he started.” – ZDNET

“Like James Bond, Paul symbolises a freedom man would sell his own sister to achieve.” – LOADED MAGAZINE

“There’s no denying that he’s an idiotic, irresponsible chancer – qualities that make him an unpredictable travel companion, but put his story-telling skills in first class.” – SCOTTISH DAILY RECORD

“Paul Carr makes me want to vomit for all the right reasons.” – MIL MILLINGTON, AUTHOR, THINGS MY GIRLFRIEND AND I HAVE ARGUED ABOUT

“Commenting on Paul Carr is beneath my dignity. He’s absurd.” – MATT TAIBBI